Best Intentions
by Levana Fay
Summary: What if the team had a second chance to live their lives and save their friends? Would they take it? What if they abuse their knowledge and possibly make things worse? Jibbs with Tiva and McAbby. No Tate or Kari, sorry guys! Drama/Angst/Romance/Family.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Best Intentions

Rating: T

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

Summary: What if the team had a second chance to live their lives and save their friends? Would they take it? What if they abuse their knowledge and possibly make things worse? Jibbs with Tiva, McAbby. No Tate or Kari, sorry guys!

A.N.: **Poll Has Been RePosted On My Profile Page. Please PM if it still doesn't work.** This is quite an ambitious fic which will hopefully span seasons 3 to 5 (because that's as far as I've watched to). This starts off after Swan song; I've read enough stories to know what the big event is in that episode, so… very small mention of that spoiler if you haven't seen it.

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><p>Tim McGee sighed and leaned back in his chair, his fingers cramping from typing for so long. He had just had a flash of inspiration and had begun typing like a man possessed, which was a very welcome change. His fans were enjoying the sexual tension between Tommy and Lisa, but he knew it was time for their 'will they, won't they?' thing to sink or swim, and because of the pressure on him to get it right for all his fans, he had given up.<p>

Writers block was never easy to work through, but in this instance he was actually afraid of messing up Tony and Ziva's relationship. Or non relationship. Or whatever it was they had. If he wrote a romance for his characters, would that make things even more strained between his co-workers? If he wrote that they don't want anything between them, would that make his friends think he had picked up on something in real life and reject each other because of it?

It was obvious that there was something between them, but since both of them had someone else at the moment he didn't think it would be fair to point it out. He scrubbed his hands over his face, still unwilling to attempt to sort that mess out. His flurry of activity hadn't been about that anyway, it was about Amy. McGee smiled as he reread what he had just typed, of Amy going to visit the grave of her, for want of a better word, surrogate mother, Geri Stafford, to try and sort out her feelings for a certain Agent McGregor, who had suddenly realised how much Amy really meant to him.

He looked around his apartment forlornly and hoped against hope that this book would be a big hit. He could really use the money right now. He stood up and placed the page he had just finished in his free writing folder, before stretching and yawning. He was tired; it had been a long and upsetting day because of Mike Franks' funeral and he had work early in the morning.

Out of the corner of his eye Tim caught sight of a bright light. He turned and stared in shock at a piece of equipment in front of his bedroom door that hadn't been there a few seconds ago. He walked towards it, looking around him to see if Tony had snuck into his apartment to mess with his mind. He wasn't in the mood for Tony's cheering up methods. He crouched down and reached a hand out to it, recognising it finally as the transmitter he had used to try and block Ari's drone. The bullet hole mocked him and he reached out to touch it, only to see it repair itself. He jerked back and looked around, shocked to see he was no longer in his apartment. He was crouched beside a car.

"Oh God!" he whispered, seeing the familiar sights of the alley outside the building where-

_Ping!_ A bullet hit the car behind him and he instinctively ducked his head and shuffled around to the back of the car, still in shock over the abrupt change. He took out his gun and looked around the car for the shooter, reason penetrating his brain when his transmitter was shot. Ari!

"Boss one of them shot my transmitter!" he called into his head set on autopilot. He remembered this; it had haunted his dreams for weeks after… this was just not possible. He listened to the chatter between his teammates, his stomach dropping when he heard Kate's voice again. The shooter in the building started shooting at him again, but McGee had had a lot more experience then he'd had the first time around, so he made short work of the man trying to kill him. His blood ran cold… Kate! He heard Kate shout "Shooter!" and it spurred him into action. He wasn't going to let this dream end like the rest. He kept his head down and the shouted into his head set.

"Sniper on the roof, boss! Sniper on the roof!"

He didn't hear the shot and he didn't hear Gibbs curse Ari. In fact he didn't hear anything from his teammates at all.

"Boss? Boss! Tony!" he shouted, becoming increasingly more panicked as the silence stretched on. "Kate?" he added quietly, tears threatening as he realised he had blown it, again. No matter how this had played out in his dreams, she had always died.

"We're here, McGee. We're all here." Gibbs said over the line. McGee sagged against the car in relief and let out a laugh. He'd done it. He'd really done it. He rubbed his eyes content to wake up now, but for some reason he wasn't. Surely that was all he had to do in this dream, wasn't it? He wasn't trapped was he?

"We're almost at the ground floor McGee, can you get around the building in cover?" Gibbs asked and a chill went down Tim's spine. Ari hadn't killed Kate this time, so what if he was still up there in his nest, waiting for his head to peek around the car?

"I don't know boss. The shot that hit the transmitter couldn't have come from the building, but that means if he's still up there…"

"Don't worry McGee, we'll cover you." Kate told him and McGee prayed that it would be enough. Had he saved Kate just for her to be killed by Ari now?

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><p>A.N.2: Please visit my profile page to vote on my poll of who you do NOT want to remember the five years they have just gone back in time by. I can tell you now that neither Kate nor Jenny will remember (because they died) but McGee will (obviously). <strong>Poll Has Been RePosted! Please PM me if you still can't vote, and tell me your vote in a review or PM.<strong>

The reason I want you to vote is because I was concerned about too many people knowing too much and screwing up the future, and consequently was unable to make the choice of who to keep out of the loop.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

A.N.: Thank you to left my heart in Paris, TheBreakfastGenie, DD Agent, MissOrlane, Leighanne jenny gibbs and 1kiko for reviewing! My Poll didn't work at first, as MissOrlane was kind enough to tell me, so I reposted it.

No one has voted on the new poll and no one has told me if it's broken. I can't vote on my own poll, so I don't know if it's broken unless you tell me. If it is still broken then please, please, _please_ tell me your vote either in **PM or review!** So far i have only two very different votes, so don't be afraid to tell me what you want.

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><p>McGee waited with bated breath, listening to the echo of his teammates' rapid footfalls over the headset; unsure of what he should really be doing, but unwilling to put himself at risk. What if this was one of those dreams that could get you killed in real life? What if it <em>wasn't<em> a dream? How else could he explain it though? There was no rational explanation for his current predicament other than a dream, yet it really didn't feel like one. Had he… gone back in time? He snorted humourlessly. There was no such thing as time travel. If there was, someone would have figured out how to do it by now.

Tim closed his eyes and painfully pinched the skin on the back of his hand experimentally. He then opened his eyes, but his heart sank as he stared at the cold bricks of the same alleyway. Annoyed he pinched harder, wincing when he broke the skin on his hand. He watched transfixed as a small drop of blood welled up in the tiny split, reeling from the instant of pain. If this was a dream, he shouldn't feel the pain. The realisation was terrifying. It _really_ wasn't a dream, but how was this possible?

McGee swallowed the bile threatening to travel up his throat and shrank back from the edge of the car fearfully, recalling just how far the first bullet had gone through it before Abby had found it. If Ari guessed his position correctly and fired, it would go straight through the car and, probably, through him. While he wouldn't mind giving up his life to save Kate, or any of his teammates, he didn't really want to die.

With that thought in mind he hunched further over, getting as near to the floor as he could, realising it wasn't as near as he could get just the other week. He glanced at his body and was dismayed to see it back in the chubby shape he had hoped to never be in again. He sighed angrily; he had endured _years_ of ridicule from Tony about his weight, and now it seemed he would have to endure them _again_. _Great_.

This time it would be different though, he knew how to lose the weight and that he could do it. That would be motivation enough to regain his slim physique, but maybe not quite as thin as he had ended up. There was something to be said for having a little fat, and it would help him to gain muscle if he doesn't get rid of all of it. Yeah, that sounded very good. Now all he had to do was survive.

"Stay calm Probie, we're almost there." Tony said over the headset, and McGee instantly felt bad for his last thought. Sure Tony might constantly run him down by playing nasty pranks on him and calling him names, but he really did care for him. Tim wondered what it would be like, working with 'immature Tony' again. Kate's death had been a turning point in all of their lives; it had brought the team closer. Would Tony grow up without that tragedy hanging over him?

"When I say run, McGee, you run. Understood?" Gibbs ordered, the sound of heavy breathing coming over loud and clear from his teammates' headsets.

"Yes, boss." Tim replied, having the utmost faith in Gibbs' desire to save him, but what if one of them was destined to die here today? What if it really was like that movie, which up until now McGee had thought was pretty stupid, and Fate would catch up to them?

He gritted his teeth and waited, staying as still as possible and regulating his breathing to stave off his panic. You're not the fresh-faced, green-as-grass probie anymore McGee, he told himself, but the words did nothing to comfort him. Sure, he had faced off against countless bad guys with guns and not panicked, but that was when he could see his enemy. Ari was on a rooftop about 600 metres away and Tim would never know what hit him if the Mossad traitor took the shot.

He wondered why Ari hadn't taken a pot shot just to flush him out, and then another thought struck him; has he left? Maybe he realised he couldn't get to Kate and gave up. An insidious thought hit him; maybe Ari _was_ still up there, waiting for Tim to stick his head out and check to see if it's clear. There would be no need to waste his bullets if he simply waited long enough.

McGee had just about convinced himself he was going to die when suddenly the sound of screeching tires met his ears. He looked around with his eyes sharply, trying not to move his head and give away his position. It was coming towards him. Tim watched in mounting horror as a car skidded around the corner of the warehouse, followed closely by two others. They sped towards him and then braked, turning so that the side of each car was facing the direction of the sniper in a stepped formation leading to the corner of the warehouse. As soon as they stopped the cars all three drivers flung themselves out of the driver's seat and took cover behind their vehicles. Gibbs gestured to Tim from the closest car, speaking softly but urgently to him through the headset.

"McGee. Run!"

Tim closed his eyes for a second and hoped that his luck wouldn't run out. He threw himself into action and dived across the short space between his car and Gibbs', not stopping until he was scrunched up next to his boss behind his hastily 'borrowed' car. Gibbs didn't let him stop for long though, and Tim felt Gibbs' strong fingers grip his arm and then push him roughly towards the next car. He stumbled slightly, but managed to turn his fall into a dive, sending him sprawling safely behind Tony's car, Gibbs right behind him.

No shots were fired and McGee let out a relieved breath, a happy smile pulling at his lips. They were OK. Ari must not be there, or he would have taken a shot at them as they weaved from car to car. Tim high-fived with Tony, but one look at Gibbs wiped the happiness from his and Tony's faces, giving way to nerves once more.

The older man was glaring at the distance between Tony's car and Kate's with something akin to dismay. Tony had parked a little closer to Gibbs' than he should have, and Kate's was just a little too close to the corner. It would be a longer sprint. Not by much, a second or two perhaps, but it would be enough for Ari to get a shot off. The horrible thought of Fate waiting to take the life it was owed rose again in Tim's mind.

"Alright, we all go at once, don't stop behind Kate's car, just keep going to the edge of the building." Gibbs ordered, and Tim stared across the distance resolutely. _I can do this!_

"Got it, boss." Tony and McGee said in unison, readying themselves for the sprint.

"Kate, you too. We all run on my mark." stipulated Gibbs, and Tim's stomach churned at the thought of all this being for nothing. What if Ari realised what Gibbs was doing? Would they have to watch Kate get gunned down in front of them while they were all too far away to help?

"Got it, Gibbs" Kate replied tersely over the headset. Everyone seemed to hold their breath while they waited for Gibbs to tell them to run, shuffling uneasily from one foot to the other. They knew what he was doing; he was trying to make the dash as sudden as possible so Ari wouldn't be able to get a shot off.

"Go!" Gibbs said loudly, and all three men started their mad dash to the next car. McGee watched as Kate sped to the building, letting out a relieved breath as she rounded the corner unharmed. The three male Agents didn't pause in their stride, but suddenly the hairs on the back of McGee's neck stood up making him put in an extra burst of speed. Tim had learned to trust his instincts during the last few years at NCIS, and his instincts told him Kate was still in danger.

Ari could have killed anyone the first time around, but he had waited for Kate. In fact the only reason Ari had taken a shot at him was because if he had shut down the drone there would have been no reason for Kate and the others to be on the roof. So it stood to reason that Ari wouldn't kill anyone other than Kate this time around too.

Tim stared as Kate peeked around the corner of the building, watching the progress of her team, and he used up the last of his energy in another burst of speed. Just as the three of them rounded the corner McGee threw himself at her, hoping to use his momentum to take them both to the floor as quickly as possible. Kate squeaked indelicately in shock as their bodies collided, forcing them off their feet just in time. Their faces were peppered with sharp pieces of brick as the bullet passed through the corner of the building, missing Kate completely. Tim felt a sharp burn along the side of his head and he knew he was hit.

They hit the ground heavily, McGee rolling from the force he had put into the collision, coming to a stop in the middle of the alley. He'd done it! He laughed out loud for a moment, and then reached up a hand as blood began trickling into his eyes. His head was warm and wet. He withdrew his hand and just stared. It was coated in blood. His teammates seemed to move in slow motion as Tim's vision became blurred and then he passed out.

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><p>A.N.2: No, he's not dead, he's just squeamish, lol.<p> 


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I only own the storyline!

Well thank you everyone who voted! These are the results from my profile poll, PM's and reviews.

Gibbs= 3 Tony= 7 Ziva= 6 Jimmy= 3 Ducky= 0 Abby= 1

I decided that Ducky would also not remember, mostly because I didn't want him to have to go through his mother's dementia and eventual death again, and partly so that Gibbs couldn't just sort Jenny and Mike's health problems out immediately. Thank you to alix33, TheBreakfastGenie, MissOrlane, DD Agent, Mrs. Elizabeth Gibbs, Kalyra-Anne and JiBbS-tIvA4eVs for reviewing!

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><p>Tim awoke suddenly, a sense of urgency gripping him and pushing him to consciousness. He opened his eyes and looked around, frowning at his surroundings. He was in autopsy, when did he get here? What happened? He grumbled unhappily as he raised a hand to his throbbing head. <em>You're an idiot McGee<em>; he internally reprimanded himself, wondering what he had done now. Had he head butted a wall? Fallen down some stairs?

His head throbbed again and he realised it was bandaged. He gently ran his fingers along the dressing, his eyes widening as he followed it from above his right ear to the edge of his forehead. The bullet had been _so_ _close_ to killing him. He then groaned softly in embarrassment as he recalled that after his heroic feat of throwing himself into harm's way, he had fainted at the sight of his own blood. That was incredibly humiliating, and Tony would never let him forget it, but it was worth it. Kate was alive.

He looked around again, this time noticing that he wasn't alone. Gibbs was standing by the sinks, talking into his phone quietly. Tony was sitting at Ducky's desk with the old ME, the two of them talking and occasionally chuckling. Gibbs snapped his phone closed, and started walking over to Tim once he noticed he was awake. McGee looked around for Kate, but he couldn't see her. Just then the doors opened and Tim held his breath, waiting to see if she would come in, but instead of Kate it was Jimmy.

The assistant Medical Examiner walked over to some evidence in bottles and picked up the tray, nodding to Ducky to let him know he was taking it up to Abby. He did it with a practiced ease that came from years of experience and Tim's heart dropped. He really had dreamed it all. He had known of course, time travel was impossible, but it had been so vivid, so real… Gibbs stopped by Tim's bedside and the youngest Agent looked up at him sadly.

"Boss? I had the weirdest dream." Tim mumbled, watching as Gibbs' expression suddenly became more interested and, sympathetic? Tim felt compelled to tell him, but he decided to keep it short, not wanting to cause him any more pain with specifics. "I went back in time and saved Kate… it was so real." he said in disbelief. How could anything so fake feel so genuine? Gibbs nodded understandingly, but how could he understand, really?

"You've been watching too much Star Trek, probie." Tony teased from his other side of the room and Tim grinned in response. He had to get over this. Kate's death was in the past, he would have to accept it and move-

"I hope I kicked your ass in your dream, McGee," Kate's voice interrupted his thoughts and he felt his face go slack in shock. He noticed Gibbs' knowing expression and resolved to speak to him when they were alone. Kate walked towards him, her playful voice originating from somewhere behind his head, which explained why he hadn't seen her, and she looked down at him fondly, "because that's what I'm going to do now." She gently but firmly slapped the uninjured side of his head and he grinned stupidly back at her. He really had saved her. "Thank you for… you know, but if you ever do something that reckless again, I will kill you."

"I think you're in with a shot there, probie." Tony stage whispered and Kate rolled her eyes dramatically, turning to Tony's smirking face.

"I should have known a blow to the head was a prerequisite to romance in your eyes, Tony."

"I'm always open to new experiences, Katie."

"Oh I'm sure. It probably helps your success rate if your dates have a concussion and wonky vision." she fired back, grinning at him, sure that she was winning.

Tim watched them banter back and forth in amazement. This was what he had been missing for the last few years. Ziva and Tony bantered too, but their banter always had an undercurrent of UST, whereas this was sibling rivalry at its best and most humorous. This thought made him pause. Ziva. She had taken over from Kate as Tony's partner, what would happen to that now? Would Kate remain with Tony? Would Ziva even become a member of the team?

Tim concentrated for a moment, trying to recall exactly when Ziva had arrived. He had spent most of his time under orders to watch Abby, so when he had first met her she was already familiar with Tony and Gibbs. Yeah… so she arrived sometime during his vigil of Abby, after Ari's attempt on her life…

"Abby!" he said suddenly, sitting up and then jumping off of the table. His vision swam for a moment and he had to close his eyes and lean back against the table, holding on to it for support. Everyone reached out to steady him, but he waved them off.

"Be careful Timothy, you lost a lot of blood." Ducky advised and Tim opened his eyes to smile at the over cautious ME.

"It's just a scratch, Ducky." he said dismissively, reaching up to lightly touch the bandaged wound on his head.

"Head wounds bleed _a lot_, and it wasn't just a scratch." Ducky said quietly and Tim suddenly became uneasy.

"What? But I feel fine. It barely hit me." he insisted, pushing off from the table and moving closer to Ducky as he spoke.

"Timothy, sit down. Please." Ducky said firmly, pushing him back towards the table. Tim perched on the edge of it and watched Ducky intently, his unease giving way to panic. "The bullet missed your skull by millimetres, but it did still hit you. A bullet of that calibre is very destructive; you're very lucky, you know."

"I know." Tim confirmed softly, thinking of his visit to autopsy to see Kate's body. He hadn't looked at the back of her head; just seeing the entry wound had been final enough. Ducky nodded and then continued gently.

"It carved a furrow in your skin. You _will_ be scarred, how badly depends upon you _not_ aggravating it. I'm not going to tell you it won't be noticeable, it will be. However I've sterilised the wound, made the stitches as small as I can and bound it tightly. If you leave it alone, which means not attempting to look at it, it should heal smoothly." he informed him, batting Tim's hands away from the bandage. Tim knew his internal anguish was spread across his face for all to see, but the truth was upsetting. He hadn't given much thought to what would change, other than Kate being alive, just idle speculation really.

He was scarred. He had saved Kate, but the price was a scar that he hadn't had in the future that he could remember. It was sobering, and a little difficult to absorb, but he was unable to regret it. He looked up at Kate. If a scar was the price for her life then he paid it gladly. She gave him a small awkward smile before looking guiltily away.

"It was worth it, Kate. Besides, I hear the ladies love a scar." Tim said reassuring her that he didn't blame her. It wasn't her fault that she was the focus of an insane murderer. She nodded gratefully, but it was clear that she didn't feel absolved. She was senior to him, he was the probie; if anyone should have taken that bullet it was her. She didn't know that she already had. She cleared her throat softly, not wanting to damage her image, or her makeup, too much.

"What were you just saying about Abby?" she asked and McGee slid back off of the table, racking his brain. What could he say? That Ari was about to shoot at her? From their perspective how could he possibly know that? Would Ari follow that same pattern now that his attempt on Kate had been thwarted?

"She's not here. I need to… show her I'm alright." he said confidently, knowing that she took any threat against her family very seriously, and often poorly. She would be frantic.

"I'll take you to her McGee, I want you to watch over her for a while anyway." Gibbs said, turning to Kate and Tony. "You two; bullpen. No one leaves the building, which includes you, Ducky." he said, fixing the older man with a stare that brooked no opposition. Ducky nodded slightly, sighing at Jethro's excessive protectiveness.

McGee's brow furrowed in momentary confusion. Why did she need watching over already? He followed Gibbs out of autopsy and in to the elevator, thinking over everything he could remember from that day nearly six years ago. He was certain that he had only been asked to watch her after the attempt on her life. What was he missing? Gibbs reached out and flicked the emergency stop button.

"About half an hour ago Ari tried to kill Abby." Gibbs said, watching McGee carefully. Tim couldn't stop his eyes widening in horror. He had missed it. He had changed events and then fainted, consequently putting Abby at risk. He repeated the word '_tried_' in his head like a mantra, assuring himself that events hadn't changed too much, but the risk was sobering.

"At least Tony was there." he mumbled in relief. Gibbs quirked a smile and flicked the button back on.

"He wasn't. Not this time." he revealed and Tim openly stared at his boss. _Not this time?_

"You remember?" he blurted out, hoping that he wasn't losing his mind, or if he was, that he wasn't the only one.

"Abby and Jimmy too. Tony, Kate and Ducky don't though. Not sure about Ziva, she should be arriving later on, after…" he stopped abruptly leaving the sentence hanging as the doors opened and he stepped out. Tim knew who he meant though. Jenny had been an unmentionable subject since her death, but in a few short hours Gibbs would be face to face with her once more. Could he handle that? How was he handling knowing that right now Mike Franks was alive and well, sunning himself on a beach in Mexico without a care in the world?

Tim followed him out of the lift and into the squad room, noticing how dim the lights were. Once Jenny had taken over as Director and Ari was dead it had been much brighter in the building. At least he thought it had.

As soon as he rounded the corner and walked into the bullpen he nearly collided with the back of Gibbs, who had an Abby limpet attached to him in a bone crushing hug. She looked over Gibbs' shoulder and locked eyes with Tim, releasing Gibbs slowly and walking around him to stand before McGee. After a few moments her wide, anguished green eyes strayed up to the bandage covering the side of his head and then back down. She flung herself into his arms without a word.

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><p>This is the last 'setting-the-scene' chapter. The next one will have the people who remember sorting out what exactly they are going to do with themselves and their knowledge.<p> 


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I only own the story.

A.N.: Well it's been a while hasn't it? I'm working on the next chapter of An Enduring Friendship and Life Amongst the Dead, my brand new NCIS crossover with Resident Evil. I'm not really a fan of zombie stories, but that plot bunny just wouldn't hop away until I wrote it, lol. No reviews for that one yet which is quite upsetting (shameless plug). Anyway, thank you to left my heart in Paris, Mrs. Elizabeth Gibbs, MissJayne, Kalyra-Anne, leighanne jenny gibbs, alix33 and ladybugsmomma for reviewing the last chapter of this story!

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><p>Gibbs waited patiently as Abby and Tim hugged, knowing that they both needed the reassuring contact after each other's near death. It was odd to think of it, but despite knowing that Abby would be alright he had still been worried for her. So many things could have gone wrong, it had been a miracle that Tony had gotten her to the floor the first time around before the bullet could hit her, would their luck hold for a second time? He hadn't needed to worry though; his reflexes were just as good as Tony's despite their age difference. Abby was shaken, but fine. When it looked like Abby wasn't going to let Tim go, he intervened while they still had the squad room relatively to themselves.<p>

"You two can play grab-ass later; right now we need a plan to take out Ari." Gibbs stated gruffly, dragging everyone to the present and the reason they were in the bullpen and not in Abby's lab. McGee and Abby parted reluctantly and turned their attention to Gibbs. Jimmy got up from McGee's desk and joined them, looking around at the Agents still at their desks, probably hoping that no one would care that he was up here instead of down in autopsy. The last thing they needed was for his mere presence to attract unwanted attention.

"Well, I don't think we can go about it in the same way we did last time. Kate's death is no longer a factor which means no one will believe that it's actually Ari that shot at us." Abby said, deciding to start off, her mouth twisting into a slight grimace.

"Yeah and no one saw him on the rooftop, he left no traces of himself; just some clean shell casings and he has no connection to Abby, so..." Jimmy added, trailing off at the end, shrugging.

"So we either wait for him to make his next move or _force_ him out of hiding." Gibbs' tone made it clear which option he preferred. "I think Ziva may have mentioned a safe house that he was using-" He said, searching his sketchy memory for any information Ziva had given him back then, but he was interrupted by Tim.

"Boss I don't think we should do anything. The next move is his; let's just let him make it." McGee said firmly, and Gibbs blinked, unsure he had heard him correctly.

"His next move was to lure Ducky out of the building, McGee." He reminded him, searching the young man's' face for a clue as to what the hell he was thinking.

"I know, but we know he doesn't hurt him, so we should just let him do it. You killed him in your basement didn't you? There's no reason to change that." ventured McGee, his eyes on his boss. They stared at each other, Gibbs' anger mounting and Tim's resolve strengthening.

"I don't think we can trust that events will happen the same way." Jimmy added to the conversation to fill the uncomfortable silence as the two agents stared each other out. Finally Tim looked away and spoke, defending his point of view.

"I just don't want to risk changing things too much, I mean, what if we do something we didn't do last time and he kills someone else, like Tony or Ziva?" Tim asks, looking at Abby and Jimmy for back up.

"You don't want to 'risk changing things'? You are the one who just stopped Kate from dying. Are you having second thoughts about that, McGee?" asked Gibbs, incredulous that a new scar is all it takes to make his youngest Agent regret saving a friends life. McGee shook his head vehemently, his face settling into a grimace.

"No, it was the right thing to do, but don't you see? Each change we make will have far reaching consequences. If I was the only one to have remembered the future, Abby would be dead right now. By saving Kate I put Abby in danger and potentially everyone else." said McGee, his expression one of deep guilt and regret. Abby slung an arm around his waist and gave him an encouraging squeeze which he returned.

"You aren't the only one to remember though, and Abby is fine." Jimmy reasoned but it just seemed to make Tim angry.

"For how long? Everything we do that isn't mourning Kate is changing the future away from what we know. Kate is now an unknown element; everything she does is going to change things, which will cause more changes and more, until eventually things are going to be so different we won't know what is coming." Tim exclaimed, causing Abby and Jimmy to frown as they thought through what he was telling them. They would lose their advantage quickly if things got too different, but Gibbs nodded along. Of course he had thought of that, it was exactly what he wanted to achieve.

"Yeah, that's called making a new future." Gibbs retorted. "A better future. What good is it going to do us to use our knowledge to preserve a future that threw everyone we cared about to the wolves?" he asked glaring at Tim disappointedly. Too many people he had cared about had died; Shannon, Kelly, Friends from his Marine unit, Chris Pacci, Kate, Jenny, Brent Langer, Lara Macy, Mike... how many times had he thought about what he would do differently if he had the chance? Well here it was, practically gift wrapped for him and he wasn't going to let this opportunity to help at least some of them slip away. "Do you want to go through killing that Metro Cop again, McGee?" he asked, knowing he had hit a nerve when the young Agent lowered his head.

"No." Tim responded angrily. _Of course he doesn't_, Gibbs thought, _but it's all part of the future he wants to maintain_. Gibbs knew that Tim would go along with what he wanted anyway, but he needed him to understand what the cost would be if he didn't. He needed him to give up on the idea willingly; otherwise he would resent him and possibly begin to work against him. He didn't want the first change he made to be turning Tim into a traitor.

"Are you going to let your sister get drugged again to preserve the old future?" he pressed, watching McGee blanch at the realisation of what he would have to _intentionally_ put her through.

"No." He replied indignantly, shaking his head weakly. His expression showed he was beginning to realise he wouldn't be able to remain objective. He would be changing things just as much as the others would be for the people he loved. Gibbs moved closer to him, looking him in the eye and willing him to make the right choice.

"Then think about what you are proposing McGee, I mean _really_ think. There are a lot of things I don't want to see happen again and this is our chance to prevent them. Could you look Ziva in the eye if you had preserved the future that got her tortured?" Gibbs whispered.

"No." Tim whispered in defeat, his shoulders slumping. Suddenly he felt like he belonged in this time; getting told off by Gibbs made him feel like the young probie who was always making mistakes. His boss was right though; the guilt would overwhelm him before half the year was out.

"There are disasters that will still happen whether we want them to or not, but other things that we can influence, we should, to make things better. Are you going to stand by while Paula Cassidy and her team, including one of your newlywed close friends, are killed?" Gibbs asked, proud to see that McGee was pulling himself together.

"No boss, I won't." McGee replied, his voice much stronger now. He'd finally come to the same conclusion that he had; this was a second chance to get the future right.

Jimmy cleared his throat nervously and looked straight at Gibbs, who had the distinct impression he knew what he was going to say. Jimmy had become a lot more confident over the years, but things of a personal nature usually made him anxious. Gibbs was fairly certain that the only personal thing that Jimmy could possibly want to change would be his relationship with deceased Special Agent Michelle Lee.

"If we do change the future, things will hopefully be very different from what happened to us, but if some things stay the same... if some people are made to do things that we can't change..." Palmer stumbled, obviously unsure how to word what he was trying to say, so Gibbs opened his mouth to respond, but Abby cut him off.

"If you don't want to get involved with her, Palmer, then don't." She said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world

"Oh! No, it's not that it's... later." Jimmy said, surprised that Abby would think he regretted his relationship with Michelle. Far from it; it was one of the highlights of his time at NCIS. He wouldn't change anything that had happened despite the fact it had ended, which he thought was more to do with her being blackmailed than something being wrong with their relationship. Gibbs smirked a little as Abby muttered an embarrassed 'oh'.

"If you get the opportunity to make Michelle confide in you Palmer, do it. Keep a subtle watch over her and we might be able to prevent not just her death, but the deaths of the people she killed." Gibbs instructed him, watching the young man nod determinedly.

"_Might_, Jimmy." Abby emphasised gently. "She was in pretty deep. She gave a lot of info away to those blackmailers, so sooner is better. Although she isn't part of the Agency yet is she? Doesn't Jenny hire her after Gibbs leaves for...! Oh my god! What if you get caught in that explosion again?" Abby burst out, flinging her arms around Gibbs and holding on tightly. "You can't leave us again, Gibbs! It was awful without you!" she cried, ignoring the confused looks she was getting from the remaining Agents in the squad room. McGee and Palmer shushed her but she ignored them, too concerned to bother lowering her voice.

"Not so loud, Abs." Gibbs admonished.

"But-!"

"Hey! What did I say?" he asked and Abby reluctantly made a zipping motion across her mouth. Satisfied, he continued talking. "With the changes we make, I may never be given that assignment-" he began but she spoke over him.

"Yes you will! Jenny gave it to you because you're the best." She pulled away to glare at him suspiciously, her eyes narrowed. "You aren't planning on _not_ being the best are you? Because if you are..." she trailed off threateningly.

"No, but don't worry, I won't let that son of a bitch go this time." He assured her. She grinned at him and hugged him again just as the lift doors opened at the other end of the bullpen. Upon seeing Tony and Kate step out and start walking towards them, Gibbs decided to quickly wrap up their conversation. "I need as much on Ari as you can remember. Get it to me as quickly as you can, and stay safe. Remember: no one leaves." They all subtly nodded and moved slightly away from each other so they didn't look quite so suspicious.

"What did we miss?" Tony asked, stepping around the corner, a big grin on his face. Kate rolled he eyes at him, a sure sign that they had been bickering and this time Tony had won. Abby ran forwards and embraced Kate, squealing happily. Gibbs suppressed a grin. It was only the eighth hug she had received and it most certainly wouldn't be the last today. Abby had told him that she has been sentimentally storing them up for years. Kate raised her eyebrow at McGee and shook her head fondly at Abby's actions.

"Nothing much, just trying to get together what we know about Ari." McGee answered, wincing once he recalled that Tony wouldn't be used to him being quite this forward. Tony blinked in surprise and then laughed it off.

"Stepping into your big boy pants, McGee?" he asked rhetorically and then redirected his attention to Gibbs. "Are we sure it was Ari, boss?" he asked, his doubts from the substantial _lack_ of evidence obviously mounting.

"Oh, yeah. We are." Gibbs replied firmly. He _knew_ for a fact that it was Ari, had always known even before the bastard had admitted to it. The total conviction in his voice settled Tony's mind and his Senior Field Agent nodded in acknowledgement.

"Alright. Well he's the FBI's boy right? You should call up Fornell." Tony suggested, but Gibbs shook his head.

"Fornell won't help me, not after last time." He said recalling his actions in autopsy; putting a bullet in Ari's shoulder, subsequently getting Fornell in trouble for setting up the meeting.

"Well you can be sure he'll make a move soon; he's methodical but impatient; has a heart of ice and loves to flirt with death, but he's also very goal orientated." Kate told them, reminding them that she was a profiler and had had more time to study Ari up close. She found all eyes on her, waiting for her to continue. She gestured to Gibbs. "His plan to kill someone close to Gibbs has failed: twice. He needs to send a more permanent message. No one that Gibbs cares about is safe right now. In fact, the only person that _is_ safe is Gibbs." she winced apologetically at Gibbs as she said it, and walked around him to sit by Abby on McGee's desk. "I don't think he'll touch you until he's done something to hurt you... somehow."

"Well that makes me feel much better Agent Todd." Gibbs sarcastically remarked. Kate lifted her hands in mock surrender.

"Sorry Gibbs, but that's how I see it." She said contritely. He pretended not to hear her apology, unable to quote his famous line; he couldn't say that to her when he owed her one himself. A big one; for getting her killed merely because he knew her.

"We can't stay inside NCIS indefinitely." Abby reminded them, annoyed.

"No, but then he doesn't need us to. He was able to shoot into Abby's lab, it stands to reason that he should be able to target us elsewhere in the building too if he manages to get high enough. The only truly safe place is one without windows: MTAC, the evidence garage or autopsy." Warned Tony, who had obviously given it a lot more thought than last time around; probably because this time he wasn't grieving.

"I don't think he'll try for us in here, though. He's already done that and it failed. He'll more than likely draw us out to him." Kate theorised, a shiver travelling down her spine at the implications.

"Well if anyone gets a phone call tell me. I don't need any of you dying because of me. Abby, McGee; I want you two to pull the bullets from the car in evidence. Tony, Kate, Palmer; go keep Ducky company." Gibbs instructed them, glaring meaningfully at Jimmy who nodded discretely. He'd make sure Ari didn't get to Ducky. They all quickly set off to follow his instructions and then Tony paused and turned around.

"Oh yeah boss, I almost forgot; the Director wants to see you up in MTAC." He called, then caught up to the others and slipped into the lift with them. Gibbs took a deep breath and cast a glance up at the floor above him, at the big letters that spelled MTAC. Just in that room was Director Tom Morrow, who was about to hand his position over to someone else. His heart rate sped up a little in anticipation.

It had been three long years since Jenny had died and now he would get what everyone wished for after losing a loved one; another chance to see her, to touch her, to talk to her. He took a deep breath and walked swiftly up the stairs, coming to a stop beside the retinal scanner. What had he said to her back then? Should he bother trying to repeat those words or should he say something new? What if he said the wrong thing?

He growled under his breath, exasperated with his behaviour. He wasn't a hormonal teenager; he was a Marine and an NCIS Agent. He could handle seeing her again and would do so with stoicism born from years of hard work and discipline. Before he could think about it anymore he bent forwards and let the scanner do its thing. Once he was given access he straightened up, smoothed his clothes and opened the door, walking into the darkened room.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I only own the story. I've tried to start off the conversations by the 'non remembering people' the same as in the episode, but the 'remembering people', who won't be able to recall the sentence structure of every conversation they have ever had, will respond differently. Gibbs' conversation with Morrow is only slightly changed because of Gibbs' damn short answers!

A.N.: I'm so sorry this took so long, I got sidetracked with Skyrim, and then I decided to learn Dragon Age Origins modding. Ugh, I actually got stuck on this because changing it was so hard. It's too early for them to change things too much; Ari needs to be taken care of first. Gibbs doesn't want everything the same though so striking a middle ground was hard. I tried not to make things too rose tinted here but I think I may have failed miserably. The poor guy needs some love. Thank you to MissOrlane, ladybugsmomma, left my heart in Paris, CherryKnocker, 1Styx and Stones1, MissJayne and magiclover13 for reviewing!

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><p>Gibbs walked into MTAC and stopped in the doorway, letting his eyes adjust to the dramatic change in illumination. The big screen was on and it was providing the only source of light, a mission that he knew nothing about and had absolutely no interest in was currently ongoing, the changing camera angles causing flashes to briefly bathe the audience, and he fought hard not to scour the front row for Jenny. He knew she was down there, hiding from his gaze, waiting for her cue from Morrow. He forced his eyes to the back row and saw Morrow looking at him. Gibbs inclined his head to him, pretending that he had been searching for him and started walking over to join him.<p>

Jethro had to admit that he wasn't really prepared for this conversation. He didn't want to speak with Tom, his mind wasn't focussed on him as it should be; it was on the impending reveal of the new Director. He took his seat and sunk back into it, attempting to slip back into this time, when he'd had no idea that she was in the room with him. He wasn't going to bother trying to get Tom on his side; Morrow wasn't going to be in any position to help him catch Ari anyway.

"What do you have?" Morrow asked, not turning his head from the screen.

"Brass from Ari's sniper's nest; four bullets. Found tire tracks in Anacostia Park, where he fired a shot into our forensics lab from across the river." He recounted, mentally ticking off what he knew. He hadn't felt comfortable sending his own team out to investigate as Ari could be waiting for them, so this time around he had been relying instead on one of the other teams to get the information he needed.

"Unusual for a sniper not to police his brass, isn't it?" Tom said, deliberately not saying Ari's name.

"Yes... sir." He said. It had been many years since he had called a Director 'sir', it simply hadn't been applicable to Jenny, and Leon... well he had been too secretive, his own agenda had been his only concern and there was no trust between them, so he had never meant it as a sign of respect.

"I've called every Director I know and they have promised aid in finding this sniper."

"Could start with the FBI; Ari Haswari was their mole." He suggested half heartedly, already knowing that what he was suggesting was futile; they had no idea where he was and wouldn't hand him over even if they did.

"According to your after-action report, no one actually saw the sniper who targeted Agent Todd and injured Agent McGee."

"_Ari_ was on a rooftop about 600 meters away." Gibbs said, stressing his name and angrily wondering how to change the conversation. This was too similar to what had been said last time for his liking.

"Extraordinary shot." Tom commented and Gibbs groaned internally. He couldn't say anything differently; most of his answers were short and to the point. He temporarily zoned out, splitting his attention between Morrow and the screen, which was suddenly a hell of a lot more interesting than retelling Tom about his past. Finally the op ended and the room emptied. The other man stood and moved out of the seating area, turning to button up his jacket for the final time in this building.

"Anyway, you're not my problem anymore, Jethro." He said, and Gibbs sat forward in his seat, pasting a mildly concerned look on his face.

"Oh?" he prompted, unwilling to drag this out. She was one of the only three people in the room right now, probably listening to them talk, waiting for the hand over.

"I've been offered a Deputy Director's position at Homeland Security."

"Good luck." He said sincerely, knowing that Morrow didn't really need it. He was used to being in control and making hard decisions. "Who's replacing you, sir?" Gibbs asked, gripping the arm rests of his chair and fighting to keep his gaze on Tom's face. Morrow's eyes flickered down to Gibbs' white knuckles and he smiled knowingly. He turned to glance at the front row and then walked towards the door, his parting words loud in the dimly lit, practically empty room.

"He's your problem now, Director."

This was it. Gibbs gazed down at the front row, the apprehension of the moment nearly overpowering as a female silhouette rose fluidly from one of the chairs. He swallowed, the reality of the situation finally catching up with him as the familiar form, backlit by the Technicolor stripes of the MTAC screen, hastily smoothed her skirt. She took a deep breath and then turned around to face him and their eyes locked.

"Hello, Jethro." She said, her familiar voice hitting him like a wrecking ball. Three years; it had been three long years since he had heard her voice, since he had looked at her. The memories came flooding back almost overwhelming him; bittersweet recollections of moments that brought him anger and joy and of the incredible potential that was nearly lost to them forever.

He knew he was staring at her like she was a ghost but he couldn't help it. Part of him was still expecting her to disappear. His intense stare would have made anyone else uncomfortable, but Jenny raised her chin and stared back. "Should we skip the 'you haven't changed a bit' bull?" she asked, and Gibbs finally threw off the paralysis that had seemed to grip him.

"Why start lying to each other now, Jen?" He asked, using his old words to ground himself when he found his mind going blank, but from now on he promised himself that things would be different. He stood up and slowly walked towards her. She watched him approach nervously; he could see the anticipation of this meeting had her highly strung. Just like him, she'd been looking forward to it. He stopped just in front of her and gazed into her green eyes which were locked on his blue, the distance between them not intimate, but not conservative either.

"Any problem taking orders from me?" she asked, trying to keep her voice strong, but it had a breathy quality to it from his proximity. He smiled as he thought back on the three years that she obviously didn't know about, the three years of barging into her office, arguing, hidden looks and blatantly ignoring her superiority. His resolve strengthened; even if things didn't work out between them in the way he hoped, he would make things better; for him, for her, for everyone he cared about.

"Any problem _giving_ me orders?" he countered, his eyes roving over her features, comparing them to his memory. The reality was even better than those fuzzy recollections. This Jenny was still mostly the passionate and caring woman he had loved in Paris. The Jenny he had lost had been stressed and cynical; her quest to bring down La Grenouille had taken her down to a dark place emotionally and she hadn't really managed to resurface before her death. Had that dark period contributed to her illness? To her willingness to die in that diner? Probably, but the Jenny before him knew nothing of all that and hopefully never would. He would save her from her fate; he would save her from herself.

"I'm not the chauvinist." She said, as if to remind him, pulling him from his musings and he replied automatically without thinking.

"No, now you're a politician." He shot back and her smile dipped slightly. Seeing that she was taking his comment the wrong way he leaned closer to her and, passing over the invisible line of decency, brought his lips to her ear. "You're many things to me, Jenny; a problem isn't one of them." He whispered to her, briefly pausing to inhale her scent before withdrawing to his previous distance. Her wide eyes watched him pull away, a little shocked before she quashed the emotion. Seeing this he realised his behaviour would be confusing her. She was obviously expecting some sort of resentment for how she had left him and here he was flirting with her.

What was it he had said to her last time? He recalled the gist of it and decided it couldn't hurt to say it again, to remind her of what they'd had. "You were a great Agent, Jen, especially undercover." He smiled as she tried unsuccessfully to fight off a blush, a sinful smile gracing her features at the double entendre.

"Jethro." She softly admonished him, enjoying the easy camaraderie they had slipped into for a few moments longer before stepping back from him slightly, symbolically distancing herself from him. Well, he thought it was symbolic for her at least as she suddenly donned a completely professional demeanour, clasped her hands together and got right down to business.

"Tom briefed me on your current case; a sniper attempted to kill two of your Agents, wounded a third and you have a suspect." She said, keeping her gaze level with his. She waved a hand towards the exit and the two of them started walking towards it side by side.

"Ari Haswari." Gibbs confirmed, "He's caused problems for us a few times already; abduction, hostage taking, he shot Ducky's assistant in the shoulder and me, it was only a matter of time before he stepped up to the next level." Gibbs told her, hoping he was winning her over. He'd go into greater detail about how Ari had seemed to centre his attention on Kate later if he had to. He knew he didn't really have to worry about Jenny; she was on his side no matter what; she had died on his side...

"Evidence?" she asked, subtly giving him a once over, obviously concerned by his casual reference to being shot.

"Shell casings from his sniper's nest." He replied, knowing that evidence was the downfall of the case. He knew it was Ari though, so did his team, and it was that conviction that would get him the support he needed from Jenny.

"Fingerprints." She concluded and he shook his head.

"Casings were clean." He stated, holding the door of MTAC open for her to precede him through it, inhaling her perfume as she walked past. This was so surreal; he had lost many friends and family members and knew he would never see them again. Yet here he was talking to Jenny three years after losing her and Kate was downstairs talking and laughing with the team instead of being shut away in a freezer drawer awaiting her funeral. He had to get his head in the game though. He couldn't afford to make mistakes this time around. a chance like this would certainly **never** come again.

"So you have nothing tying Haswari to the case? No wonder the other agencies-"

"I don't care about the other Agencies, he's not targeting them. He's targeting us; my team." He said, stopping and turning to face her. She raised her eyebrows slightly but said nothing. "I'm bringing him down, Jen, with or without your support." With that he set off down the stairs.

"Special Agent Gibbs." She said sternly and he froze on the stairs. What had he said to elicit that? He'd responded differently, she shouldn't be about to lay down the law to him, right? He turned anyway, curious to hear what she would say. "On the job it is Director, or Ma'am." His spirits sunk a little. The future wasn't set in stone, Kate was alive that proved it, so was Jenny just _really_ determined to be cold? Probably; first day and all... he started back up the stairs towards her and stopped on the step below so they were practically at eye level, then he stepped to the side and allowed her to move past him.

"Director." He said simply, deliberately not going down the 'off the job' conversation path. If he didn't ask, she couldn't tell him no. She inclined her head slightly, apparently satisfied with his behaviour. He smirked and followed her, glancing at the empty bullpen, hoping that Jimmy would keep Ducky away from the phone. If Ari got to him he wouldn't tell anyone what he was doing, and with the present being changed they couldn't afford to risk his life like that.

"We can continue this conversation in private." She said amiably and he nodded, more to himself than to her. He fully intended to talk to her about 'them' in private, the Director-Agent thing not so much.

"I'll get you up to speed on the way to my house; got to change my clothes."

"Gibbs!" she protested.

"My time is limited too, Jen." He said reasonably cutting off her comeback. She sighed and then looked at the bullpen.

"Have you sent your team home?" she asked curiously.

"Nah, they're in autopsy. No windows." He replied, crossing to get his affects from his desk.

"Sensible precaution." She responded. "Are you sure _you_ won't be at risk if you leave?" she asked as if she was pointing out something he had overlooked. He ignored the comment and escorted her to the lift, his hand resting lightly on her back. Once he got her alone in a place she wasn't trying to mark her territory then she would be a lot easier to talk to. Also, he couldn't let her out of his sight just yet, and though it flew in the face of making things different he just couldn't seem to care. Maybe he would have to speak to McGee again; there was probably a middle ground to their different points of view that they could try for. Either way, everything was going according to plan.

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><p>Next up will be Life Amongst the Dead and then An Enduring Friendship. I'll hopefully get at least one out before next week!<p> 


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

A.N.: Sorry for the exceptionally long wait for this, things got a little difficult to write at the end of this chapter (you'll see). Thank you to ladybugsmomma, scentofbitteralmonds, left my heart in Paris, magiclover13, alix33, RhizOneill, ILoveRoslinAndAdamaxxx, fasiongirl97, castlefringereader and guest for reviewing!

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><p>Jenny stood at the top of the stairs leading to Gibbs' basement, bemused by her reaction to seeing his house again. It had never really been one of 'their' spaces; their relationship hadn't begun until they were undercover in Marseille, and for quite a while before that he had been married to Diane. She had been here though, for team gatherings when his wife had been out, and even a few when she had been in, just especially to annoy the other woman.<p>

All of these gatherings had taken place in the basement, arguably the most lived in room of the modestly sized house and if she concentrated, she could still hear Stan and Chris' slightly drunken banter, the laughter the four of them had shared over take out and beer, five when Ducky had joined them.

She smiled wistfully and pushed the door behind her so it was only slightly open, giving her an early warning for when Gibbs would appear so that she wouldn't be caught lost in memories. Running her hands over the smooth wooden rail, she steadily descended the stairs into the room that defined Jethro. It was everything that he was; quiet, shadowed, secretive, more than what it seemed, but honest with what you saw.

Her boss, her partner, her lover, her... subordinate. She frowned as she mentally stumbled over the new classification Gibbs had been given and wondered if she would ever get used to it. She didn't think so, and it worried her. How could she expect him to take her seriously, to look to her as his boss, if she couldn't even think of herself that way?

She reached the bottom of the stairs and immediately turned her attention to the boat that he was building. His basement never seemed to be without one, and she wondered briefly if this was the same one that he had been building back when they had been partners. It was unlikely; he had always been working on it when he wasn't at NCIS, but it wasn't impossible. Besides, why would he build more than one boat?

Jenny circled it slowly, taking in all of the details, the love, care and dedication that he put in to his woodwork and sighed. If only he put that much into his relationships... but then again, knowing who he had married, it was probably a good thing he hadn't. He would have given everything good in him away to his first two selfish wives long before she herself had claimed him as hers, mentally at least. His inherent goodness was intact, even if his belief in people wasn't, and despite how it had ended, how _she_ had ended it, she wouldn't have him any other way.

Her circuit of the boat complete, she wandered over to the workbench and carefully sat on the chair by it. Her thoughts turned to the moment in MTAC when he had first entered. She had so wanted to turn around and catch his eye, but part of her had been afraid of doing that very thing. Tom had understood her dilemma, he had been aware of their failed relationship, so he had set it up so that they could have a moment alone just in case Gibbs wasn't as accommodating as he had turned out to be.

She shouldn't have worried, and oddly enough that did make her worry. He hadn't immediately blown up at her or ignored her, he had genuinely seemed to be glad to see her. That meant she was more than likely going to see his real reaction to her presence in his life again after the shock wore off, and after being welcomed so warmly she wasn't sure how she would react to being alienated.

She had seriously considered making it clear to him that she was here for the job and wouldn't be open to anything but minimal contact with him, but she hadn't had the chance... and he really seemed to be happy to see her. Feelings that she had thought long since buried had begun to climb to the surface the moment his eyes had connected with hers. When he had moved into her personal space his scent had wrapped around her senses and her heart had leapt, it had been exhilarating. Just like old times.

Things were different now though; _they_ were different. There was too much bad history between them, eventually it would turn back to that and these good feelings would sour. Would cold professionalism be all they had in their future? Was she over thinking this? Should she bring up the past now? Try and get all of their dirty laundry aired right away, or wait for him to bring it up?

The basement door swung open, effectively silencing Jenny's thoughts as Gibbs stepped through into the basement and swiftly descended the stairs. She watched him move, her full attention centred on him, scrambling for something to say. When they had been partners, she had known him so well she could confidently tell what he was thinking, but gazing at him now she was drawing a blank. She needed to break the ice somehow, get him on familiar ground so she can gauge him better.

"Is this the same boat you were building six years ago?" She asked curiously, watching him search his basement for something, which was odd in and of itself. Gibbs _**knew**_ his basement. Maybe her presence was throwing him off?

"No." He replied, frowning. His eyes scanned around the boat, whatever he was looking for obviously eluding him. Jenny tilted her head slightly.

"What happened to it?"

"Burned her."

"Why would you... you named it after an ex-wife." She said, barely suppressed amusement colouring her voice. She had to give it to him as their banter turned to Diane, he could take a joke well, better than she could in fact. His second wife had always been a source of amusement between them though. She smiled as he continued the banter, justifying burning his masterpiece because he didn't want anyone else to sail off on her. She couldn't stop the words that left her after that remark. "You didn't care who sailed off on Diane."

He finally stopped his search, picking up a jacket that he had lazily thrown over a box and pulled it on, pinning her with his amused gaze. He stepped around the boat and walked towards where she was still seated at his workbench. She watched him curiously, sensing that their banter was over, that he had something that he wanted to say to her.

"You were a good agent, Jen. Why the jump to politics?" he asked pointedly. For a moment while looking into his probing eyes, Jenny felt like he was testing her. She got the sense that he already knew... but that wasn't possible. No one knew but her.

"I'm good at politics." She defended automatically, "NCIS needs-"

"I know." He cut her off before she could get going, his words quiet and intense. She frowned, did he mean he knew what NCIS needed or that he knew she was good? "Not what I asked." Silence stretched on for a few seconds as Jenny scrambled for something to say, some way to appease him and keep her secrets intact, but like usual, her secrets took precedence over his feelings.

"Did you honestly expect me to stay your partner forever?" she asked, her voice laced with just the right amount of disbelief and disappointment. "You knew right from the start that I wanted more than that. I was given an opportunity too good to refuse."

"And us?" he asked. Jenny swallowed hard and avoided his eyes; she didn't want to do this now. She didn't want to have to justify herself so soon after seeing him again, but a large part of her knew that he deserved to know the truth, but she couldn't tell him, he wouldn't understand. She had come too far, forfeited too much to tell all now.

"Certain sacrifices had to be made." She said, forcing her eyes to meet his. Didn't he understand that giving him up had been one of the hardest things she had had to do?

"By letter?" he growled and she ducked her head again, shamefaced.

"You're right; that was selfish of me, but I'd do it again if I had to." She told him seriously, standing from the chair and looking anywhere but his face.

"That's what I don't get. You didn't _**have**_ to do anything." He said softly. Somehow, with those few words, she got the feeling that whatever test he had been giving her, she had failed. She forced herself to look up at him, to search his eyes for any clue as to what he was thinking, but his expression was closed to her.

"Don't make this difficult, Jethro." She whispered, pleading with him to get the hint, to drop the subject.

"Don't you trust me, Jen?" He asked, stepping into her personal space, the familiar intimacy in the short space between their bodies relaxing her. She didn't want that though, she needed to be on her toes around him.

"Of course I do. It's not a matter of trust." She said stepping around him towards open ground and freedom.

"Yes it is. I know there is more going on with you then getting to the top of the food chain. I _**know**_." he emphasised, freezing her in her tracks. No. It wasn't possible. Jenny's heart pounded, she wanted to turn around, confront him about what he thought he knew, but she was scared. Scared that he really _**did**_ know. How had he found out? He was bluffing, he had to be, she thought desperately, but somehow she knew he wasn't. Shuffling feet behind her alerted her to him moving closer.

"Help me with Ari, Jen, and I'll help you." He whispered, his voice so close to her ear that she could feel his hot breath on her skin, sounding for all the world like he was making a deal with the Devil. She swallowed, closed her eyes tightly and slowed her erratic breathing. Throw him off, her mind told her, but her throat had closed up. That was too personal, she thought angrily, he had no right to hold it over her.

Did he really think she would let him kill this man, Ari, when he had no evidence tying him to the case? Did he really think she would let him do that just to have his help with hers? Her self-loathing rose to new heights when she was forced to answer herself positively. She would do anything to help Jethro, and she was fast approaching the point where she would do anything to catch Benoit.

"Get him to confess." She answered him finally. "Haswari confesses and you can do what you want with him." she forced out, her voice rough, reluctant. She felt Gibbs move, circling to stand before her and she opened her eyes. He looked at her, concerned. What did he expect from her when he dangled such hope in front of her? For her to take the higher ground and refuse? She'd been chasing this man for a decade, every op had been getting more desperate, more dangerous. Despite the anger she felt towards him at this moment, she did trust him. Somehow she trusted him to help get her out of this mess she had created.

She trusted him to save her.

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><p>A.N.2: Next chapter up will be Passing the Burden, my Mass Effect fic, and then Life Amongst the Dead.<p> 


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